5 Days In A House With Gluten Everywhere?

[hhdavid]

I'm a personal assistant/caregiver. Next month I am scheduled to stay in a client's home and provide round the clock 24 hour care. There is gluten everywhere in this house. Wheat bread crumbs all over the kitchen, (client's daughter bakes her own bread) and the kids take food into other rooms, drop food, etc. The client's grandson is on a special food additive/food coloring free diet, and she said he has some gluten free food, too. I was welcome to it. I look and the gluten-free food bag is open, no telling if it's CC'd or not. I said thanks, but I thought "No Way".

I told my boss that I would do the job (it's only the pay that's appealing about this), but that I would have to bring my own food and cookware. They know I have to eat gluten free, and I explained that I couldn't cook my food with what's in the client's house, (all non-stick coated cookware) and that I would have to bring my food and cookware. They agreed I could do this, but I don't think they understand what all that entails. Five days worth of food in a refrigerator that is not what I would call clean, and stored gluten containing food all through it. No area in that kitchen is dedicated to gluten-free, and even though the client's daughter buys gluten-free food for her son, he's not on a strict gluten-free diet, and I don't really think that woman knows exactly what is going on with gluten intolerance.

How do I manage this the easy way? So far all I can come up with is for me to take my own cast-iron skillet, my microwave egg poacher and omelet cooking items, my own silverware, and my vegetable steamer. And just take some raw veggies and some hamburger meat. This is mostly what I eat anyway, since I'm mostly on the Paleo diet.

Any suggestions will be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[Lisa]

I don't have any experience with situations like this. I would equal your situation to mine without power after a hurricane. Could you store you own food in a cooler in a private area. There are some good microwave entrees, or toaster Van's Waffles.

[mushroom]

Do you have a large cooler in which you could store your food instead of in the refrigerator. You could wrap the gel pads in foil when you put them in the freezer and then unwrap them before putting in your cooler. This way your food will not be contaminated. Will you have an opportunity to pop out and replenish your supplies when the daughter is there? I would definitely take the items you mentioned--and wash your hands often!!! Also take your own dishwashing sponge/whatever you use and a tea towel and put any items you wash on a paper towel. Maybe keep all your utensils/dishes, etc., in one of those big plastic tubs with a lid to keep them uncontaminated. And keep it in your room!

[Wenmin]

Bring lots of canned goods, like green beans, carrots, peas, red beans, Baked beans, fruits, etc. Also, you might want to bring your own peanut butter/jellies, ham, vienna sausage, etc. and your own can opener and bowl to pop it in the microwave.....

I did this when we went on vacation last summer for a week with a beach house full of gluten eating relatives (including kids). I had just found out I had celiac and only knew of a few items I could have on the diet. I brought these items from home. It worked because I kept my supplies in a separate area from everyone else's.

[hhdavid]

Thanks Momma Goose, mushroom and Wenmin for your replies.

I don't even own a toaster, and I'm sure not using theirs, so I guess I'll skip the Van's Waffles. I've never seen them before. Does Wal-Mart carry them? The closest Whole Foods is over 100 miles away.

I eat only fresh fruits, vegetables, eggs, and meat. Maybe I could keep all my meat in the original packs in a WalMart bag in the freezer until I'm ready to thaw it out and cook it, and do the same for the raw vegetables in the fridge? I don't have a cooler, and I won't be able to leave this house at all for five days to get more food or ice until the client's family returns from vacation (my client is confined to a wheelchair). So I have to make sure that I have everything I need when I get there. I guess after the client's daughter, son-in-law, and grandsons leave I'll try to clean the kitchen and areas I will be in spotless, and just keep my cooking supplies in one of those big plastic bins and keep it in a separate area of the house, like Wenmin and mushroom said. I've got hand sanitizer in the pocket of my scrubs at all times when I'm in my clients' houses, anyway.

Mushroom, I like your idea of taking my own sponge and towel. I hadn't even thought of that! And I just remembered I must take my coffeepot and other items like shampoo, laundry detergent (I have to use fragrance free) etc. And my cutting board, veggie chopping knife, etc! I just keep thinking about it and I find more stuff I need to take just so I can eat! I usually don't get upset about cooking all my food at home and having to eat gluten-free, but it's situations like this that I get really frustrated and wish I could just eat whatever. But I don't even cheat a little bit, because I don't want to end up bedridden for three days like I did when I accidentally got glutened in March, after feeling great for a month. And for weeks after that I still didn't feel as good as I did before I got glutened.

I'm starting to wonder if the money is going to be worth all that trouble! I've only had to stay with this client for 4-10 hours at a time before, and I brought my own food and had no problems. But five days is a different story altogether.

Thanks for the tips! I'm glad I've got until the middle of June to get this figured out!!

[mindwiped]

Another thought to make it a little easier, create your own 'TV dinners.' Basically, get enough storage containers that you can fill and freeze enough meals for all your lunches and dinners for the week. Then the only meal you have to cook there is your breakfast, the others you'd just be reheating in the microwave, and keeping a storage container covered in the microwave is easier than keeping all your cooking items CC free all week. You can still have your fresh veggies veggies and such, but I'd make sure that they are all prepared to be eaten at your home, just so that you don't have to worry. Also, when you do a clean down, remember that the sponge and rag you use is now contaminated, and don't just toss it back in with your stuff, you'll make yourself sick.

[JNBunnie1]

I was going to suggest the pre-packed meal thing. If you chop all your veggies ahead of time, you won't need your cutting board or knife, and you can package in containers instead of having them loose. Stock up on bananas and apples, or fruit you can just wash and eat or peel and eat. Pack meats cooked a few different ways in dinner & lunch sized packages, freeze half for later in the week. Maybe a big thing of chili or chicken soup. Make single serving containers of salad and just bring your dressing. This way, all you need is something to cook your eggs in, and a spatula. Bring your own fork though! I never trust forks.

[GFinDC]

Some grocery stores around DC will deliver food to homes. You might check with some of the grocery chains in the area and see if they have a delivery service for home bound customers. That might be helpful if run out of something or need additional items.

There are also services for home bound people to deliver foods, like Meals on Wheels program. They also might be able to help with delivering food to fit our diet.

Will you be doing all the cooking, even for the gluten eaters? If so, maybe it would be easier to just turn them all into gluten-free eaters for a week. Post has gluten-free Chex cereal now, and add some banana slices and they have a breakfast. They should be able to eat anything you would normally eat. It would probably be better diet for them anyhow.

Just some thought, I hope it works out well for you. Kind of a gluten-free adventure eh?

[mattathayde]

i would pre package food, the food you cannot eat out of your pre packaged stuff i would use disposable dishware and plastic silver ware, no worries about CC on washed dishes. do yall have whole foods or kroger down there, both of them have a good selection of microwave gluten-free foods.

for when you prepare stuff put down paper towels or foil to work on.

i think if you just make all of your own stuff before hand or bring stuff that doesnt require much kitchen work should make it much easier, trying to cook there is going to be unrealistic i think

-matt

[hhdavid]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

Yes, I think cooking there will indeed be unrealistic.

I love the idea of cooking my food at home and freezing it to take there, and pre-chopping my veggies! That sounds much easier.

Unfortunately the closest Whole Foods is over 100 miles away, and the closest Kroger is over 30 miles away. I live in a small southern town. We get medicine delivery from the pharmacies here, but not grocery deliveries.

Thanks for the ideas everyone! This will indeed be my first gluten-free adventure.

If my client's family cancels their vacation, I won't be mad. No amount of money is worth me getting sick over.

[mattathayde]

Thanks for the replies, everyone.

Yes, I think cooking there will indeed be unrealistic.

I love the idea of cooking my food at home and freezing it to take there, and pre-chopping my veggies! That sounds much easier.

Unfortunately the closest Whole Foods is over 100 miles away, and the closest Kroger is over 30 miles away. I live in a small southern town. We get medicine delivery from the pharmacies here, but not grocery deliveries.

Thanks for the ideas everyone! This will indeed be my first gluten-free adventure.

If my client's family cancels their vacation, I won't be mad. No amount of money is worth me getting sick over.

there is a place called "gfmeals.com" i found via twitter that has a lot of prepared food, im not sure how much you need to cook it or if you can just nuke it and eat.

-matt

[MaryJones2]

We get medicine delivery from the pharmacies here, but not grocery deliveries.

That is indeed one of the many benefits of a small southern town. I enjoyed grocery delivery in a past life but I think I prefer knowing my pharmacist and knowing that they deliver much better.

[SGWhiskers]

If your talking about bringing a coffee pot, I'm guessing you are not going to just go without for the week. I have 2 ideas for less luggage and potential coffee pot contamination.

1) Look into if the Coffee singles are gluten free. If not...

2) Take one of your own coffee filters, put a spoonful of ground coffee in it. Fold it into quarters. Fold in the open edge and staple in the middle. Home made coffee singles.